New life after a hundred

Shortly after celebrating its 100th anniversary, the owners of the Terme di Saturnia Natural Destination spa resort decided to refurbish the establishment, and enlisted London-based architects THDP to oversee the project.
Founded in 1919, the spa was badly in need of a facelift, and the owners were particularly keen to modernise the springs, natural pools and water features while maintaining the sense of harmonious continuity between architecture and nature.
«According to the initial brief, the aim was to carry out a high-profile renovation while maintaining the original internal architecture and the high-quality furnishings that were part of the previous project carried out by architect Lorenzo Bellini,» explained Manuela Mannino from THDP.
The project as a whole extended to both the communal areas — including the central patio, multifunctional rooms and outdoor spaces — and the 124 hotel rooms, which were upgraded to a 5-star rating.
As the architect explained, the principles underpinning the exterior design project were «to emphasise the effect of transparency between the interior and the exterior by renovating the entrance and the portico; to devise lighting systems based on the use of suspended lamps; and to create a point of convergence between classical and contemporary», while the interior design project focused on natural elements, particularly water. «We used terms such as reflection, corrosion, erosion, layering and ripples to describe the visual appearance and emotional language of the interior design,» continues Manuela Mannino. The desire to maintain close contact with nature led to the choice of an energetic and revitalising colour palette inspired by shades of sea blue, olive green and bright earthy beige. These colours were used in the lobby, the communal spaces and the suites, where the nature-inspired tones are complemented by handcrafted solid wood and metal furniture, chairs upholstered in soft fabrics and spa-themed artworks.
To create a warm environment in the 124 guestrooms, the existing carpet was replaced by oiled oak parquet and bright marble-effect ceramic tiles from Marca Corona. The Motif Extra and Motif porcelain floor and wall tiles in the bathrooms were chosen for their combination of aesthetic qualities, which proved ideal for creating an intimate, refined atmosphere, and the technical characteristics of hygiene and slip resistance necessary for a hotel and spa environment.